Delhi University management has instructed to submit reports of cleanup initiative by DUSU candidates on defacement clean-up efforts by Saturday. Results will only be declared after university inspections ensure satisfactory progress, according to officials familiar with the process.
This directive follows a high court order mandating that counting votes for the September 27 DUSU elections will only proceed if the university is satisfied with efforts to address the defacement of public property during the campaigning period. Initially delayed due to legal and administrative hurdles, the counting process is tentatively scheduled for November 21, contingent upon the clean-up drive.
The delay in declaring the election results stems from a high court ruling that identified widespread defacement of public property as a critical issue during the campaign period. The court allowed DU to proceed with vote counting by November 26, but only on the condition that all defacement is addressed to the university’s satisfaction.
To expedite the process, the DU administration held a meeting with DUSU candidates on Wednesday, where they were grouped into five teams, each assigned a specific area for clean-up. These groups are required to document their work through geotagged photographs and submit detailed reports of the cleanup initiative by DUSU candidates by 5:00 PM on Saturday.
Rajni Abbi, DU’s proctor, emphasized that the clean-up reports would form the basis for further university inspections. “The candidates have been divided into clusters, and coordinators have been assigned to oversee operations. Each team must ensure their allocated area is free from defacement,” Abbi stated.
Despite the importance of the cleanup initiative by DUSU candidates, attendance at Wednesday’s meeting was underwhelming, with only four to five candidates present, according to a senior DU official. “If the same lack of enthusiasm is reflected in the clean-up reports, the university may not proceed with the vote counting on November 21.” Only when the university is completely satisfied will the final order for counting be issued,” the official warned.
The official further mentioned that DU’s administration is prepared to take corrective actions if any areas remain defaced after the teams submit their reports. “We will deploy additional staff to address any leftover defacement if necessary,” the official added.
Several candidates have already begun clean-up efforts in their assigned areas. For instance, Mitravinda Karnwal, an undergraduate student from Lakshmi Bai College who ran for the position of secretary, is heading a three-member team assigned to the Aditi Mahavidyalaya area. “Our group has identified three major locations listed in the court documents as heavily defaced. We plan to carry out a day-long cleaning drive on Friday,” Karnwal shared.
Similarly, Rishab Choudhary, a Department of Buddhist Studies student and a presidential candidate, claimed that his 10-member team had already completed the clean-up at North Campus. “Most defacement has been removed. Any remaining posters or writings will be cleared by Friday. We are confident that our efforts will meet the university’s expectations,” Choudhary said.
Following the submission of the reports of the cleanup initiative by DUSU candidates, DU officials will begin inspections across all designated locations on Sunday. These inspections will verify whether all defacement has been adequately addressed. If additional clean-up is required, DU will provide immediate on-site assistance to ensure all areas are cleared before vote counting begins.
The administration has reiterated its commitment to complying with the court’s directions. In recent weeks, Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh himself conducted inspections to monitor progress in removing defacement. Officials emphasized that DU aims to ensure a thorough clean-up before announcing the election results.
